Lagos State judicial panel on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters struck out 2 petitions out of 13 before it for abuse of court process and want of diligent prosecution.

In the first petition of the day involving Mrs Taiwo Idehen, Micheal Osas Idehen and Samuel Osas Idehen vs the Nigeria police force, the panel struck out the petitions of the 3 petitioners which were consolidated on the basis that they are of the same fact and due to the fact that the subject of the petitions is still pending before a court of competent jurisdiction, the panel declared the petition as a subjudice, abuse of court process and struck it out.

Other matters listed for the day were adjudicated upon by the panel with a large majority of the cases adjourned for continuation of hearing.

However in the last petition of the day of Mr. Adebayo Fari vs the Nigeria police force, when the matter was called, the petitioner was absent and was not represented by a counsel, which made the police counsel note that the matter was coming up for the fourth time with the petitioner always absent, he asked for the petition to be struck out.

Ruling on the matter, the panel chairman Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd) noted that the petition has come up for mention and hearing for the fourth time and on each occasion, the petitioner has been absent, she then ruled that due to the attitude exhibited by the petitioner with regards to the matter, there is no doubt that he is not interested in the petition and thus the petition was struck out for want of diligent prosecution.